Electro-optical apparatus and method of driving the electro-optical apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides an electro-optical apparatus that can prevent a shift in a threshold voltage of an amorphous silicon transistor while driving an organic EL device in a pixel circuit including the amorphous silicon transistor. A characteristic-adjustment circuit can be provided, which has a function of returning a shift in the threshold voltage of the amorphous silicon transistor included in the pixel circuit to the original state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electro-optical apparatus, comprising:
 a gate line; 
 a data line; and 
 a pixel circuit corresponding to intersections of the gate line and the data line, 
 the pixel circuit including a first transistor that is coupled between a first node and a second node, and a light-emitting element that is coupled to the first transistor through the first node, and 
 the first transistor being configured such that a first potential lower than a second potential of the first node is applied to a gate of the first transistor and a third potential lower than the second potential of the first node is applied to the second node of the first transistor during a first period. 
 
     
     
       2. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 the first transistor being configured such that the third potential of the second node is lower than the second potential of the first node during a second period. 
 
     
     
       3. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 the first transistor being an N-type transistor. 
 
     
     
       4. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 the first transistor being an amorphous silicon transistor. 
 
     
     
       5. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the first node and the gate of the first transistor. 
 
     
     
       6. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a power source line, 
 the power source line being coupled to the first transistor through the second node during the second period, and 
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the first node and the gate of the first transistor. 
 
     
     
       7. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 the light-emitting element not emitting light during the first period, 
 the first transistor being in the off-state during the second period. 
 
     
     
       8. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 the light-emitting element emitting light during the second period in a gray scale according to a conduction state of the first transistor set by a data signal supplied to the pixel circuit, and 
 the first transistor being in the off-state during the first period. 
 
     
     
       9. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 the data signal being supplied to the pixel circuit during a third period prior to the second period. 
 
     
     
       10. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 The pixel circuit further including a second transistor, and 
 the first voltage being supplied to the gate of the first transistor in the off-state through the second transistor. 
 
     
     
       11. An electro-optical apparatus, comprising:
 a gate line; 
 a data line; and 
 a pixel circuit corresponding to intersections of the gate line and the data line, 
 the pixel circuit including a first transistor, 
 the first transistor being configured such that a gate potential lower than a source potential of a source of the first transistor is applied to a gate of the first transistor and a drain potential lower than the source potential is applied to a drain of the first transistor during a first period. 
 
     
     
       12. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 11 ,
 the first transistor being an N-type transistor. 
 
     
     
       13. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 the first transistor being an amorphous silicon transistor. 
 
     
     
       14. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the source and the gate of the first transistor. 
 
     
     
       15. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a power source line, 
 the power source line being coupled to the first transistor through the drain during a second period, and 
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the source and the gate of the first transistor. 
 
     
     
       16. The electro-optical apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 the pixel circuits further including a light-emitting element, and 
 the source of the first transistor being positioned between the drain of the first transistor and the light emitting element. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for driving an electro-optical apparatus which has a pixel circuit including a driving transistor that has a first node and a second node, and a light-emitting element coupled to the driving transistor through the first node, the method comprising:
 making the light-emitting element emit a light in a gray scale according to a data signal during a first period; 
 applying a first potential lower than a second potential of the first node to a gate of the driving transistor and applying a third potential lower than the second potential of the first node to the second node of the first transistor in a second period. 
 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 ,
 the driving transistor being an N-type transistor. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 ,
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the first node and the gate of the first transistor. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a power source line, 
 the power source line being coupled to the first transistor through the second node during a second period, and 
 the pixel circuit further including a capacitive element that is coupled between the first node and the gate of the first transistor.